midi for newbs - device

A midi controller keyboard sends out note and control messages on a "channel".
Every device has 16 channels max. Channel 10 is (usually) dedicated to drums.
Most controllers send notes out on one channel.
You can tweak most controllers to do a "split" by messing with the
(usually terrible) menus on the instrument.
This sends lower notes out one channel and higher notes out another.
But, typically a keyboard sends notes out on one channel.

A midi sound module receives midi events and creates audio.
Usually listening on all 16 available channels.
Some lame older ones don't do all 16.
Again, channel 10 is usually a drum channel.
The other channels (1-9,11-16) are used for melodic sounds.
All sound modules have a list of available sounds to pick from. Sometimes
you can load in new sounds. Often not. But the majority let you change the
sounds with "control change" messages.